Pile driving hammer



y 1969 v H. G. WARRINGTON 3,454,112

PILE DRIVING HAMMER I Filed June 10, 1968 Sheet of" s F|G. l2 lllllllll 1m I7 I70 Ill] 43 43 U 39 INVENTURI HENRY G. WARRINGTON ATT'YS y 3, 1959 H. G. WARRINGLTON 3,454,112

FILE DRIVING HAMMER Filed June 10,1968 Sheet j as FIG. 5

FIG? 4s 7 2o IS \a xi 5 'TF W 44; h as INVENIORI HENRY G. WARRINGTON W VM M A ATT'YS United States Patent 3,454,112 PILE DRIVING HAMMER Henry G. Warrington, Palm Beach, Fla., assiguor to Vulcan Iron Works Inc., Chattanooga, Tenn., a corporation of Illinois Filed June 10, 1968, Ser. No. 735,691 Int. Cl. B25d 9/02 U.S. Cl. 173-128 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE There is provided a single-acting pile driving hammer for free riding and guiding on the top of a hollow tubular pile. The hammer is provided with an intermediate anvil with a ram reciprocably mounted above the anvil and a power cylinder and piston below the anvil. A piston rod interconnects the piston and ram. Guide mechanism is provided engageable with the inner surface of a pile to maintain axial alignment of the hammer and the pile. The housing of the hammer is provided with lifting horns and a quick release lifting bail is attachable to the lifting horns to permit the hammer to ride freely on top of a pile.

The present invention relates to pile driving hammers.

It is the commercial practice in the power driving of piles with a pile driving hammer to suspend the hammer from a crane, resting the anvil of the hammer on the top of the pile being driven. However there are certain difliculties which arise from the support of the pile driving hammer with a crane during the pile driving operation. It is necessary, for example, to provide leaders or guides for the anvil or head of the pile driving hammer so that it may move downwardly during each stroke of the hammer with the pile being driven, Moreover a crane is tied up continuously during the pile driving operation. Additionally it has been common practice to employ an accessory cap interposed between the hammer anvil and the pile to transmit the driving blows to the pile.

Accordingly one object of the present invention is to provide a new and improved pile driving hammer which overcomes the above mentioned difficulties.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a new and improved pile driving hammer which is capable of retaining its orientation with respect to a pile being driven.

A further object of the present invention is the provision of a new and improved pile driving hammer having a quick disconnect lifting ball so that the pile driving hammer may be free riding on the top of a pile.

Yet another object of the present invention is the provision of a new and improved pile driving hammer having an improved piston, ram and valve gear arrangement.

Still another object of the present invention is the provision of a new and improved pile driving hammer.

Further objects and advantages of the present invention will become apparent as the following description proceeds and the features of novelty which characterize the invention will be pointed out with particularity in the claims annexed to and forming a part of this specification.

In accordance with these and many other objects of the present invention there is provided an improved pile driving hammer for driving piles including a housing defining a cylinder at one end and ram guiding structure at the other end, with an anvil portion intermediate thereof. A ram is reciprocably mounted within the ram driving structure and a piston is reciprocably mounted within the cylinder. The piston and ram are operatively interconnected by a piston rod extending through the anvil portion. The anvil portion is adapted to ride on the top of a pile, and guide mechanism is provided engageable with the side wall of a pile to maintain axial alignment of the hammer and a pile. A quick disconnect lifting bail is also provided engageable with lifting horns extending from the housing of the hammer so that the hammer may readily be released from the crane used to haul it to the top of a pile.

For a better understanding of the present invention, reference may be had to the accompanying drawings wherein:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a pile driving hamimer according to the present invention;

FIG. 2 is an elevational view of the pile driving hammer of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a cross sectional view of the pile driving hammer of FIG. 1, taken along line 3-3 of FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is a cross sectional view of the pile driving hammer of FIG. 2, taken along line 44 of FIG. 2;

FIG. 5 is a cross sectional view of the pile driving hammer of FIG. 2, taken along line 55 of FIG. 2;

FIG, 6 is a cross sectional view of the pile driving hammer of FIG. 2, taken along line 6-6 of FIG. 2; and

FIG. 7 is an enlarged detail View of the valve gear, drawn to a larger scale illustrating the valve members in an exhaust position.

Referring now to the drawings, there is illustrated a pile driving hammer 10 including a housing 11 having upwardly projecting lifting horns 12 and a quick release lifting bail 13 engageable with the lifting horns 12 to provide for lifting of the pile driving hammer 10.

The housing 11 defines an integral anvil portion 15, a cylinder 16 below said anvil portion, and a ram guiding structure 17 above the anvil portion 15. A piston 18 is reciprocably mounted within the cylinder 16. A ram 20 is reciprocably mounted on the ram guiding structure 17. Formed integrally with the piston 18 is a piston rod 21 extending through a packing 22 in the anvil portion 15 secured to the ram 20. To provide the connection between the piston rod 21 and the ram 20, the ram 20 is provided with an axial opening 23 through which the piston rod 21 extends, and is further provided with a pair of transverse channel-shaped recesses 24 which receive a split ring 25 clamped to a reduced diameter portion 21a of the piston rod 21.

The pile driving hammer is of the type known as a single-acting type, wherein working fluid such as steam is introduced into the lower or closed end of the cylinder 16 thereby raising the piston 18, piston rod 21 and ram 20 to its uppermost position, as illustrated in phantom in FIGS. 2 and 3. The steam below the piston 18 is then exhausted to the atmosphere and the ram with the associated piston rod 21 and piston 18 drops by gravity, striking the anvil surface 15a, FIG. 3 of the anvil portion" to transmit a power or working blow through the anvil 15 to a pile. In the illustrated embodiment the anvil portion 15 is provided with a plurality of concentric stepped rings 15b, 15c and 15d to receive the upper edge of a pile 28, FIG. 3, of a size to be driven. The stepped concentric rings 15b, 15c, 15d are sized to accept piles of standard varying diameters, so that, as illustrated in phantom, piles 29 and 30 may be used with the hammer 10, the shoulders on the steps positioning the hammer on the top edge of the pile. In the illustrated embodiment the pile 28 is a four-foot diameter piling, pile 29 is a fivefolot diameter piling, and pile 30 is a six-foot diameter pi lng.

To maintain axial alignment of the pile driving hammer 10 with relation to the top of the pile 28, there is provided a suitable guide mechanism or structure, generally illustrated at 32 extending downwardly from the cylinder 16. The guide structure 32 includes a plurality 3 of adjustable fingers 34 at its lower end, adjustably bolted to suitable structural members 35 by means of bolts 36 so that the outer edge 34a of the fingers 34 can be spaced outwardly to engage the inner wall surface of a selected size of pile 28, 29 or 30 as indicated in phantom as 34b, 34c in FIG. 3.

Control of the piston 18 is by a valve gear mechanism 38 within a fluid chamber 39 including a pair of rotary valve elements 40. The valve gear mechanism 38 is controlled by a pair of surface earns 41, FIG. 5, defined as grooves in the longitudinal side surface of the ram 20, and each receiving a valve actuator portion 42 or cam a valve arm 43 secured to the top of the valve elements 40 extending out of the steam chest 39. The surface cams 41, upon vertical reciprocation of the ram 20, will reciprocate the valve arms 43 between the position illustrated in solid in FIG. to the position illustrated in phantom therein.

To control th reciprocation of the piston 18 and associated ram 20, there is provided a plurality of fluid passageways interconnecting the steam chest 39, valve elements 40 and the cylinder 16. More specifically, referring to FIGS. 3 and 6, there is provided a passageway 44 interconnecting a valve chamber 45 and the cylinder 16. An exhaust passageway 48 extends from the valve gear mechanism 38, and a pair of fluid inlet fittings 49 provide for the connection of the fluid chest 39 to the source of working fluid such as steam. The valve elements 40 rock about their central axis from the position illustrated in FIG. 6 wherein the steam chest 39 is connected to the valve chamber 45 and passageway 44 to the cylinder 16, to the position illustrated in FIG. 7 wherein the cylinder 16 is exhausted to the atmosphere through the passageway 44, valve chamber 45, and exhaust passageway 48.

Thus it will be understood that when the ram 20 is at its bottom position, as illustrated in solid in FIG. 3, the valve arms 43 will engage within the surface cams 41 in the position illustrated in FIGS. 5 and 6 so that the valve elements 40 are in the position supplying steam to the bottom of the cylinder 16, thus raising the piston 18 and associated ram 20. However when the ram 20 approaches the top of its stroke, the valve arms 43 will be shifted to the position illustrated in phantom in FIG. 5, to move the valve elements 40 to the position illustrated in FIG. 7, wherein the lower closed end of the cylinder 16 is exhausted to the atmosphere.

A plurality of vent openings 51 in the cylinder 16 above the uppermost travel of the piston 18 prevents the retarding of the piston 18 because of pressure differentials created by movement of the piston within the cylinder 16.

In accordance with another feature of the present invention, the pile driving hammer may be free riding on the top of a pile, being maintained in the desired orientation by the stepped rings on the anvil and by the guide structure 32. To this end the lifting bail 13 is readily separable from the lifting horns 12. As best illustrated in FIG. 2, the lifting bail is provided with a pair of attaching cylinders slideably positionable over the respective lifting horns 12. Each of the cylinders 53 carries a plurality of lock balls 54 engageable within an annular recess 55 defined in the lifting horns 12. The balls 54 are held in locking position within the recesses 55 by a reciprocably mounted lock cylinder 56- which, in the illustrated position, prevents outward movement of the lock balls 54, but which is vertically movable until an annular recess 57 in its inner side wall aligns with the balls 54 to permit them to move outwardly, thus disengaging from the lifting horns 12. The vertical positioning of the lock cylinder 56 is under the control of a lock cylinder 60, which may conveniently be con-trolled by the same fluid driving the piston 18, or which may have an inde pendent control such as an electric solenoid. The control cylinders 60 are connected to the lock cylinders 56 through a piston rod 61 and crosshead 62 extending through elongated slots 63 in the attaching cylinders 53 to engage the lock cylinders 56. A lifting arm 65 interconnects the pair of attaching cylinders 53, and is provided with an eye or opening 66 for receiving a hook or other supporting structure of a crane or like device.

From the above detailed description, the operation of the pile driving hammer is believed clear. However, briefly, it will be understood that the pile driving hammer is capable of driving the pile without being connected to any sort of a crane or lifting device after having been released from the lifting mechanism on top of a pile. The guiding mechanism of the hammer will maintain the proper orientation of the hammer with the pile. More specifically the hammer is lifted by a suitable lifting mechanism such as a crane through the lifting bail 13, and set on top of a pile such as pile 28, FIG. 3. The pile driving hammer 10 is properly oriented on the pile 28 with a stepped ring of the anvil portion 15 maintaining proper alignment with the upper edge of the pile. At the same time the adjustable fingers 34 of the guide structure 32 engage the inner wall surface of the pile 28. In this position, the cylinder 16 and associated piston 18 ride within the pile 28 while the anvil 15 rests on the upper edge of the pile, and the ram 20 with the associated ram guiding structure 17 riding above the ram 15. Once the pile driving hammer 10 has been thus set in place on top of a pile 28, the control cylinders 60 are actuated to raise the lock cylinders 56 and permit the lock balls 54 to move into the annular recesses 57 and disengage from the lifting horns 12. The lifting bail 13 may then be separated from the pile driving hammer 10 to free the crane for other lifting jobs.

Although the present invention ha been described by reference to only a single embodiment thereof, it will be apparent that numerous modifications and embodiments will be devised by those skilled in the art which will fall within the true spirit and scope of the present invention.

What is claimed as new and desired to be secured by Letters Patent of the United States is:

1. A pile driving hammer for driving piles comprising:

a housing defining cylinder means and having an anvil portion adapted to engage the upper edge of a pile; a ram in said housing mounted to strike said anvil portion during a power stroke;

drive means in said housing for reciprocating said ram to provide repetitive power strokes; and

guide mechanism engageable with the side wall of a pile to maintain axial alignment with the hammer and pile.

2. A pile driving hammer as set forth in claim 1 including lifting means connected to said housing, and a quick release lifting bail attached to said lifting means to permit said hammer to ride freely on a pile.

3. A pile driving hammer as set forth in claim 1 wherein said cylinder means defined in said housing is below said anvil portion, and a piston is reciproca'bly mounted in said cylinder means; and wherein said ram is above said anvil portion, and means interconnects said ram and said piston, and valve gear means controlling the admission and release of drive fluid to said cylinder to reciprocate said piston to provide drive strokes to said ram.

4. An internal pile driving hammer for driving hollow tubular piles comprising:

a housing defining cylinder means and having an anvil portion adapted to engage the upper edge of a pile;

a ram in said housing mounted to strike said anvil portion during a power stroke;

drive means in said housing for reciprocating said ram to provide repetitive power strokes; and

guide mechanism spaced below said anvil portion adapted for insertion to a pile to maintain orientation of the hammer with the pile.

5. An internal pile driving hammer as set forth in claim 4 wherein said anvil is provided with a plurality of concentric stepped rings on its lower face to provide positioning of the hammer on piles of various diameters.

6. An internal pile driving hammer as set forth in claim 5 wherein said cylinder means extends below said anvil portion and is adapted to be positioned within a pile, and a piston is reciprocably mounted in said cylinder means, and wherein said ram is positioned above said anvil portion, and means interconnects said ram and said piston, including valve gear means for controlling the admission and release of drive fluid to said cylinder to reciprocate said piston to provide drive strokes to said ram.

7. An internal pile driving hammer as set forth in claim 6 including lifting means connected to said housing, and a quick release lifting bale attached to said lifting means to permit said hammer to ride freely on a pile.

8. An internal pile driving hammer as set forth in claim 5 wherein said guide mechanism is adjustable to provide for orientation thereof with the inner surfaces of piles of various diameters.

9. A pile driving hammer for driving piles comprising:

a housing defining a cylinder and ram guiding structure and an anvil portion intermediate said cylinder and said structure;

a ram reciprocably mounted relative to said ram guiding structure positioned to stike said anvil portion during a power stroke;

a piston reciprocably mounted in said cylinder;

a piston rod extending through said anvil portion and interconnecting said piston and said ram; and

valve gear means controlling the admission and release of drive fluid to said cylinder to reciprocate said piston and ram.

10. A pile driving hammer as set forth in claim 9 wherein said valve gear means includes at least one rotatably mounted valve element, and a valve arm" operatively connected to said valve element having an actuator portion extending through said ram guiding structure, said ram being provided with a cam groove in its surface, said valve actuator riding in said cam groove to operate said valve element.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,917,066 7/1933 Schalscha 173128 X 2,068,045 1/1937 Wohlmeyer 173129 X 3,013,541 12/1961 Adams 173l28 X 3,178,893 4/1965 Fiore 6153.7 X 3,194,326 7/1965 Bodine 175-56 3,389,757 6/1968 Teter 6l53.7 X

NILE C. BYERS, Primary Examiner. 

